Herd U: Top storylines from college football Week 7

Sunday morning on college campuses is the start of the new day, or the merciful end of the last one. Nothing a Bloody Mary and a breakfast burrito can’t fix. Man up.

At Herd U, it’s time to break down the biggest storylines from the college football weekend. Week 7 was all about survival. Ohio State and Clemson remained undefeated with heartstopping wins, and Brian Kelly looks like dead man walking in South Bend. While other top teams were clinging for life, the Crimson Tide stormed into Knoxville and left the Vols on a respirator.

Here are 5 takeaways from yesterday’s Week 7 action.

Clemson is spared by the missed field goal gods – Clemson hasn’t been impressive so far this year, but they’re still undefeated. That’s all that matters. Yesterday they needed a missed NC State field goal to send the game to overtime, where they squeaked out out a 24-17 home win. Deshaun Watson threw for almost 400 yards, but the Tigers have not looked like the dominate force that many predicted to start the year. Still, undefeated matters, and they get another week to attempt to figure things out.

2. The Buckeyes outlast the Badgers in Camp Randall – Ohio State was welcomed to Wisky by a Badgers team that had a week off to prepare and showed up ready to play. Wisconsin controlled the game, gashed the Buckeyes defense early, and took 10-point lead into halftime. But, JT Barrett made the big plays when it mattered most. The Buckeyes stormed back in the second half and forced overtime. In OT, Barrett tossed the game winning touchdown pass to wideout Noah Brown, which proved to be the decisive score. Freshman Nick Bosa secured the Ohio State win with a sack of Badger QB Alex Hornibook. An absolute thriller of a college football game in Camp Randall.

3. The Tide rolled over the Vols in Knoxville – While Ohio State and Clemson were pulling out heart stoppers, Alabama was busy ripping Tennessee’s heart directly out of their chest. The Vols were a trendy Final Four playoff pick to start the year, but showed they aren’t aren’t even close to being on Saban’s level. Bama dominated in Knoxville with an impressive 49-10 win. Super frosh Jalen Hurts ran for 132 and 3 scores, and Alabama demoralized the Vols with 438 on the ground as a team. This one wasn’t as close as the score indicated.

4. Dark days in South Bend – Many prognosticators had the Irish ranked in the Top 10 to start the year. After yesterday’s 17-10 loss to a Christian McCaffrey-less Stanford, Notre Dame sits at 2-5 on the year and have officially unraveled. Brian Kelly looks like dead man walking in South Bend. It’s hard to remember a coach who’s stock has fallen this far this fast, but it looks like it would take miracle to save Kelly at this point. Another brutal loss for the Golden Domers. Somewhere Charlie Weis is eating a cheeseburger on a yacht, showing his Super Bowl rings to a deckhand.